I feel like a great book for pride would be My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newsom. Glad you’re having some success, hope you get out of your slump soon, but way more than that I hope you have more good days than bad and you feel content sooner.
Light from Uncommon Stars stole my heart but I really resonated with the role of music in classics but also pop culture. And the aliens representing immigrants also had me all in my feelings. Its so unique and I get when its not a fave to others but its my weird speculative fiction fave 😆
I read "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" last year for PRIDE month, and I loved it. It's just my kind of cozy fantasy: enough plot to make it interesting, but not enough to make me anxious. This year I read "Delilah Green Doesn't Care" (the first book in the "series" Iris Kelly belongs to) and I loved the writing, and I thought it was cute. Also, I'm with the A section as well (biromantic asexual over here), and I decided to read the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. I counted it as asexual because even though the main character is supposed to be a robot, they mention at some point that even if they had human reproductive organs they wouldn't be interested in sex.
Matt Cain always charms me with his books which are funny, sweet, and delightfully British, and Becoming Ted is my favorite of his so far. I feel like the struggle bus goes around and picks up so many avid readers.
sad you are still in your slump but i'm glad you're reading and enjoying some books! i think the one you're thinking of is Refusing Compulsory Sexuality A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture. i'm super keen to read it as i am also on the ace spectrum but not sure if my brain has the processing power for it. we'll see! happy pride
I'm old school with my LBGTQ books....give me Tales of the City any day of the year. And I loved Boyfriend Material & Husband Material by Alexis Hall way more than Red, White, and Royal Blue (which is over hyped).
I have to say so far this year I have been really into both cozy fantasies and cozy mysteries and how them two come together a lot since I like to reread always helps out
I can totally see why What Feasts at Night worked better for you than book one. I enjoyed them both! I'd be totally okay if T. Kingfisher continued to write these episodic-type novellas following the same main character!
I liked What Feasts at Night more. Mostly because I was too familiar with The Fall of the House of Usher, so I knew what was going to happen. Also, I believe it's the Sworn Soldier series.
The pride float runway, LMAO!! "Milan, you're too self-centered! This was a challenge about our community! Willam, you covered your boat in stickers of yourself--and we loved it!" Always enjoy hearing your thoughts about books!
I too am in a reading slump. So I decided to re-read Psy-Changeling in time to enjoy the new book. Yay! I’ll probably listen to your podcast again too!
Great idea for a video! I read Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile on audiobook, which was a delight because she sings her songs in between chapters, so that would be my autobio nonfiction recommendation!
For representation, if I click on an author's Goodreads page and they have some obvious identification in the first few lines or just readily accessible info, then I'm happy to include it. Also, I love Ashley Herring Blake (mostly b/c I've sobbed through her middle grade works), but I do think Iris Kelly was the weakest of the Bright Falls romance series (Delilah Green was good, Astrid Parker was my favorite). There were certainly things I could nitpick in the others, but Iris was my least favorite friend in the group going in, whereas I hated most side characters in this one. 💓💜💙
Great video, really stoked for the new Malka Older (loved the last one and it’s exciting to hear you thought this one was even better. I totally get what you mean about the unique voice. Have you read Even Though I Knew the End? It’s a queer noir angels and demons situation. I thought it was pretty good and it was nice and short, good for a slump. Happy Pride 🎉
I'm recommending the hell out of Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell at the moment it's a SF/Romance and I'm one of those annoying people who is like no romance plz, but I still loved it. The characterisation is so vivid and well done, I was reading it thinking, hey I know a disaster gay just like this, a ton of fun.
I loved What Feasts At Night. Liked it even better than What Moves the Dead. It made me think of All Quiet On the Western Front, in that it really delved into the impact of PTSD.
I’m in the A category too and I cannot second the rec for Loveless enough! I also read a mg fantasy called Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese this year that was really sweet and resonant with my experiences as a preteen. The author Darcie Little Badger is also a-spec and I think most of her MCs are as well.
Yeah, LGBTQ+ author can feel a little icky sometimes. In My TBR game, i have a few prompts that look at marginalised or underrepresented communitutes (LQBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC...) and i always do author (if i happen to know from the top of my head) or MC, because having to dig for information that the author maybe doesn't want to share feels very icky. In my spreadsheet i also don't track author's gender, but pronouns used in the author bio
Happy Pride Month from one acespec to another! 💜 🩶 🖤 🤍 Ugh. I have also been in the worst reading slump this month. Luckily, I seem to be coming out of that now.
Yeah I much prefer going by character rather than authors who are “out”.
Can't be me
I feel like a great book for pride would be My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newsom.
Glad you’re having some success, hope you get out of your slump soon, but way more than that I hope you have more good days than bad and you feel content sooner.
Light from Uncommon Stars stole my heart but I really resonated with the role of music in classics but also pop culture. And the aliens representing immigrants also had me all in my feelings. Its so unique and I get when its not a fave to others but its my weird speculative fiction fave 😆
It was a 6 star, Best of the Year for me, too! I LOVED IT!!!
I really enjoyed What Feasts At Night and was surprised so many people didn't seem to enjoy it as much as the first book in the series.
It is so lovely to hear some of your bookish thoughts again. Also, that sweater is fantastic! It looks just wonderful.
"I'm in the A bucket..." *clicks subscribe*
I agree that so many contemporary romances would be better served as novellas!
I read "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" last year for PRIDE month, and I loved it. It's just my kind of cozy fantasy: enough plot to make it interesting, but not enough to make me anxious. This year I read "Delilah Green Doesn't Care" (the first book in the "series" Iris Kelly belongs to) and I loved the writing, and I thought it was cute. Also, I'm with the A section as well (biromantic asexual over here), and I decided to read the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. I counted it as asexual because even though the main character is supposed to be a robot, they mention at some point that even if they had human reproductive organs they wouldn't be interested in sex.
Ooh I still really need to read the mimicking of known successes!! The series sounds great!
glad you're finding some new favorites amidst the slumpy feeling.
Read - Sandwich by Catherine Newman. It will get you out of your slump.
Matt Cain always charms me with his books which are funny, sweet, and delightfully British, and Becoming Ted is my favorite of his so far. I feel like the struggle bus goes around and picks up so many avid readers.
Very excited to pick up “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea”
sad you are still in your slump but i'm glad you're reading and enjoying some books! i think the one you're thinking of is Refusing Compulsory Sexuality A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture. i'm super keen to read it as i am also on the ace spectrum but not sure if my brain has the processing power for it. we'll see! happy pride
I'm old school with my LBGTQ books....give me Tales of the City any day of the year. And I loved Boyfriend Material & Husband Material by Alexis Hall way more than Red, White, and Royal Blue (which is over hyped).
I have to say so far this year I have been really into both cozy fantasies and cozy mysteries and how them two come together a lot since I like to reread always helps out
Happy Pride Month!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩶🖤🤍
I can totally see why What Feasts at Night worked better for you than book one. I enjoyed them both! I'd be totally okay if T. Kingfisher continued to write these episodic-type novellas following the same main character!
Iris Kelley doesn't date was the first f/f romance I've read. I enjoyed it but I generally like contemporary and rom-coms
Boo on WoW. That season 4 runway is amazing.
I liked What Feasts at Night more.
Mostly because I was too familiar with The Fall of the House of Usher, so I knew what was going to happen.
Also, I believe it's the Sworn Soldier series.
The pride float runway, LMAO!! "Milan, you're too self-centered! This was a challenge about our community! Willam, you covered your boat in stickers of yourself--and we loved it!" Always enjoy hearing your thoughts about books!
Love the sound of light from uncommon stars. You had me at alien doughnut shop 😂
I've been looking at Can't Spell Treason - now I have to pick it up
So excited to read the newest Malka Older!!
I too am in a reading slump.
So I decided to re-read Psy-Changeling in time to enjoy the new book. Yay! I’ll probably listen to your podcast again too!
so good to catch up with you! love your handknit sweater so much :)
I'm not sure how you feel about YA, but Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao centers on aroace characters. I loved it!
Great idea for a video! I read Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile on audiobook, which was a delight because she sings her songs in between chapters, so that would be my autobio nonfiction recommendation!
For representation, if I click on an author's Goodreads page and they have some obvious identification in the first few lines or just readily accessible info, then I'm happy to include it.
Also, I love Ashley Herring Blake (mostly b/c I've sobbed through her middle grade works), but I do think Iris Kelly was the weakest of the Bright Falls romance series (Delilah Green was good, Astrid Parker was my favorite). There were certainly things I could nitpick in the others, but Iris was my least favorite friend in the group going in, whereas I hated most side characters in this one.
💓💜💙
Loved the rainbow flag theme! So good to see a book review video from you. Beautiful green sweater, did you knit this one?
Great video, really stoked for the new Malka Older (loved the last one and it’s exciting to hear you thought this one was even better. I totally get what you mean about the unique voice.
Have you read Even Though I Knew the End? It’s a queer noir angels and demons situation. I thought it was pretty good and it was nice and short, good for a slump.
Happy Pride 🎉
I'm recommending the hell out of Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell at the moment it's a SF/Romance and I'm one of those annoying people who is like no romance plz, but I still loved it. The characterisation is so vivid and well done, I was reading it thinking, hey I know a disaster gay just like this, a ton of fun.
I loved What Feasts At Night. Liked it even better than What Moves the Dead. It made me think of All Quiet On the Western Front, in that it really delved into the impact of PTSD.
Hmm, I think Mel Todd's Twisted Luck is ace for an MC.
Loved this!
Love this idea!
I wrote THE SWITCHGRASS CROWN for my ace kids cuz there aren't many books with ace MCs out there...
Loved this!!
I know June just ended, but I hope you had a happy pride! 🖤🩶🤍💜
💚🤍🩶🖤
Great video, and I love your top! (I am a knitter)
Vivian
Have you read Loveless? I know several people who are A feel seen and love that book. It’s on my never ending TBR.
I’m in the A category too and I cannot second the rec for Loveless enough! I also read a mg fantasy called Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese this year that was really sweet and resonant with my experiences as a preteen. The author Darcie Little Badger is also a-spec and I think most of her MCs are as well.
These others sound so good too. For sure going to check them out.
Yeah, LGBTQ+ author can feel a little icky sometimes. In My TBR game, i have a few prompts that look at marginalised or underrepresented communitutes (LQBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC...) and i always do author (if i happen to know from the top of my head) or MC, because having to dig for information that the author maybe doesn't want to share feels very icky. In my spreadsheet i also don't track author's gender, but pronouns used in the author bio
I agree with you on Iris Kelly. I've read the whole trilogy and Iris' story is my least favorite.
?
Sorry I dont like the pride month. Not into any of that. I'm sorry that you did a video on it, UT I will check out your next video
Happy Pride Month from one acespec to another! 💜 🩶 🖤 🤍
Ugh. I have also been in the worst reading slump this month. Luckily, I seem to be coming out of that now.